Among the roughly 4,000 people in UA Local Union 72, Daniel Parr likely doesn’t stand out at first glance.
His 6-foot-3 frame might make him taller than some of his fellow union men, and he’s a native Floridian who has since made the journey up to Georgia.
But Parr, who turns 30 in August, isn’t just a member of a union that represents pipefitters, welders, plumbers, and service technicians across the Peach State. He’s a former college quarterback who won a Florida state championship, played alongside nearly 20 future NFL players, and spent parts of four seasons as a starter for FAU and Duquesne.
“I love it,” Parr said. “Football helped me because it’s a lot of hard work some days and early mornings. But waking up for those 5, 6 a.m. lifts for five years in college helped me prepare for that.”
Parr certainly had a journey, going from a heralded prep recruit at William T. Dwyer to a two-time conference champion. Most notably, he started the first three games of the Owls’ historic 2017 season and threw the first touchdown in the Lane Kiffin era, a 95-yard strike to true freshman receiver Willie Wright on a lightning-filled, nationally televised Friday night loss to Navy.
An opportunity arose after the season for Parr to transfer to Duquesne, which had won conference titles in seven of Jerry Schmitt’s 13 seasons.
Growing up playing in Florida certainly prepared Parr for the task of helping the Dukes maintain their winning culture.
“You’re playing in a recruiting hotbed amongst some of the most elite HS talent in the country,” Parr said. “But the biggest difference is the speed. Playing against some of the best teams in the state year in and year out really prepared me to take the next step to the collegiate level.”
Upon arriving at Duquesne, Parr led the Dukes to a Northeast Conference co-championship in 2018. They reached the second round of the FCS playoffs before losing to South Dakota State, partly because of his nearly 2,500 passing yards and 27 total touchdowns.
Looking back, Parr calls himself “blessed” to have enjoyed both the success and the experiences. There aren’t many others in his union who can boast that they threw a touchdown with rain pouring down in a packed stadium holding nearly 30,000 people.
“But the main thing I remember and cherish the most is the people,” Parr told Legacy Library. “Wins and losses always come and go. But I can’t go back now and recreate the vibe and memories that go down in the locker room with your brothers.”
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